The Top 100 Japanese Baby Names & Their Meanings

Overview

Are you choosing Japanese baby names to honor your heritage, or do you want to pick one because you’re fascinated by the Japanese culture?

Many parents love the sound and spelling of Japanese names, especially if they’re into video games or manga (a genre of comics that originated in Japan).

A lot of Japanese names and characters have become a common choice, even in Western countries. They do sound cool, but you should check their meanings first before picking a Japanese name for your baby.

Note that Japan has three different ways of writing: kanji (symbols from Chinese characters), hiragana and katakana (phonetics), and romanji (using Western words and characters).

So, the same name can be written in many different ways, and similarly spelled names might actually have totally different meanings.

The following are our top 100 choices for Japanese baby names:

Popular Japanese Baby Names for Boys

Due to the kanji writing system, most Japanese names can have many different meanings. Parts of the name can mean different things, depending on how you write them.

These are some of the popular names for boys and their meanings:

Akihiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A bright boy or prince

• Other Meanings: Respectable man, crystal, sage, morning sun, bright, clear, dawn, refreshing, disciplined, autumn, trade, reveal, and restful

Akio

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Bright man or bold hero

• Other Meanings: Husband, man, dawn, doing it clearly, light, harmony, male, cheerfulness, sparkle, living, and autumn

Akira

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Bright man or a man with wisdom

• Other Meanings: Bright, light, autumn, dawn, morning sun, shine, all, clearly visible, illuminate, sparkle, sun, good luck, authority, law, regular, fine, crystal, refreshing, fortunately, smart, melt, and philosopher

Atsushi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Kindness, honesty, or pure

• Other Meanings: Dedicated, sincerity, samurai, recovery, land, succeed, heat, thickness, wealth, virtue, courteous, harmonious, supervision, courteous, endeavor, aspire, achievement, poetry, and warm

Chieko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A thousand blessings child

• Other Meanings: Laugh, clothing, thousand, blessings, film, flourish, river, child, branch, smart, weight, or knowledge

Chiyo

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Thousand generations, thousand worlds

• Other Meanings: A thousand leaves, given, world, surplus, generation, night, accept, lotus, sun, smart, world, knowledge, and good

Daichi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Great wisdom or intellect

• Other Meanings: Big ground, smart, knowledge, thousand, one, city, govern, run fast, and gentle

• Description: It’s sometimes confused with Daiki, but they have different meanings (Daiki means ‘big’ and ‘shining’)

Daisuke

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Big, great help

• Other Meanings: Help of god, rich, transparent, help someone, big, doing it clearly, assistance, lead, education, and shop

Fuji

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Unsurpassed or unique

• Other Meanings: Wealth, samurai, and wisteria (a kind of flower)

• Description: The name is also popular because it’s used for Japan’s most famous mountain, Mount Fuji

Fujin

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of the wind

• Other Meanings: Sentence, eclipse, samurai, greens, and wealth

What Japanese Name Means Sun? Haru

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: To stretch

• Other Meanings: Spring, origin, joy, hazel, big, much far, bright, east, cherry blossoms, warm, forever and ever, expert, knowledge, beauty, flower, far distant, open, and sun

Haruki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Shining brightly or spring child

• Other Meanings: Precious, shine, hope, spring, castle, sun, care, radiance, joy, rare, season, cavalry, and Chinese bellflower

• Description: It can be related to Haru or Ruki (as nicknames)

Haruto

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Soar or fly

• Other Meanings: Warm, radiance, capital, sun, bright, spring, one, benevolence, spring, samurai, disciple, joy, rich, and heaven

Hina

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Light and sun

• Other Meanings: Vegetables, greens, warmth, flowers, beautiful, harmony, peace, serenity, and summer

Hiro

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Infinite or broad-minded person

• Other Meanings: Big, Japanese varnish tree, sky, fly in the sky, benevolence, ocean, superiority, thanks, and forgive

• Description: Because it resembles the English word “hero,” this Japanese name is popular even in Western countries.

Hiroshi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Tolerant, generous, and prosperous

• Other Meanings: Broad-minded, ocean, aspire, leading widely, complete, wide, help of god, lions, samurai, succeed, lyrics, and history

Hiroto

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Soar or big flight

• Other Meanings: Benevolence, smart, leading widely, heaven, ancestor, samurai, superiority, the forest surrounding the shrine, fly in the sky, precious, forever and ever, rich, and sound.

Ichirou

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: First son

• Other Meanings: Very excellent, road, or one

• Description: It’s used as a variation for the name Ichiro.

Isamu

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Brave

• Other Meanings: Courage, power, achievement, daring, dream, gallant, help someone, dream, sand, great, and authority

Itsuki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Independence or spring trees

• Other Meanings: Precious, one, moon, cleanse, joy, tree, hope, radiance, atmosphere, shine, bright, season, hope, great, and rare

Izanagi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: He who invites; the god of creation

• Other Meanings: Peace leader, calm, waves, and the first man

• Description: In Japanese mythology, Izanagi and his wife Izanami appeared after heaven and the earth separated due to chaos. Together, they created the islands of Japan.

Kai

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Paddle

• Other Meanings: A free man, ocean, peace, harmony, calm, summer, think deeply, fine, and song

Kaito

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Soaring through and beyond

• Other Meanings: Ocean, fly in the sky, free, samurai, Japanese cypress, benevolence, virtue, and kite

Kane

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Bell

• Other Meanings: Serve or humble

Kangiten

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of bliss

• Other Meanings: Great noble god and sacred god

• Description: Kangiten is also known as Kanki-ten and Shoten.

Katsumi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Win over the sea

• Other Meanings: Triumph, fruit, ocean, beauty, attractive, and flower

Kenji

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Prosecutor

• Other Meanings: Be affectionate, smart, healthy, child, aspire, benevolence, and succeed

Kenshin

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A humble and modest person

• Other Meanings: Heart, trust, depth, humble, modesty, proceed vigorously, respectable person, true, and the sword

Kiyoshi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Pure

• Other Meanings: Pure heart, sacred, good, righteousness, clean appearance, serene, aromatic, fortunately, luck, success, and aspire

Kōjin

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of hearth, kitchen, and fire

• Other Meanings: Lake and human

Kuebiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of knowledge and agriculture

• Other Meanings: Wisdom

• Description: Kuebiko is a Japanese god who’s represented in mythology as a scarecrow.

Kuraokami

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Deity of rain and snow (in Shinto, a Japanese religion)

• Other Meanings: Dragon god of the water or water dragon patron

• Description: This Japanese god is represented as a legendary dragon.

Masaru

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Victory and excellence

• Other Meanings: Superiority, ten thousand, power, big endeavor, fine, crystal, order, polite, grace, flow, and elegance

Minato

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Harbor

• Other Meanings: South, the forest surrounding the shrine, ocean, sound, climb, water, world, lamp, kindness, and capital

Minoru

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: To bear fruit

• Other Meanings: Ascend, season, fruit, kindness, sincerity, autumn, rich, agriculture, and flow

Natsuki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: The moon

• Other Meanings: Seven, summer, basis, hope, rare, prayer, disciplined, precious, and bright

Omoikane

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Serving one’s thoughts

• Other Meanings: Discretion and combine

• Description: In Shinto, Omoikane is the god of intelligence and wisdom

Raijin

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of thunder and lightning;

• Other Meanings: Benevolence and rely

• Description: Raiden is the alternate spelling of Raijin

Ren

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Lotus

• Other Meanings: Clever, a pure heart, lions, dream, and mercy

Riku

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Land

• Other Meanings: Gallant, sky, deep red, beautiful black stone, crystal, and bloom

Ryūjin

• Origin: Japanese and Korean

• Meaning: God of the sea

• Other Meanings: Dragon god and dragon king

• Description: In Shinto, Ryūjin is the dragon god who’s also called Watatsumi and Suijin.

Suijin

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of water

• Other Meanings: Water lord and water heaven

• Description: Known as the Japanese god of water, Suijin is another name for Ryūjin.

Tadashi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Loyal and faithful

• Other Meanings: Correct, accurate, good, sincere, aspire, righteousness, love of peace, elegance, and honest

Takahashi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A tall bridge

• Other Meanings: Prosperous noble, hero, moral courage, and integrity

Takemikazuchi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of swords and thunder

• Other Meanings: Brave and thunder god

Takumi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Artisan or skillful

• Other Meanings: Ocean, truth, big, engineering, light, heart, hope, fountain, kindness, progress, and attractive

Touma

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Top of the mountain

• Other Meanings: Light, protect, winter, and pine tree

Tsukiyomi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: God of the moon

• Other Meanings: Moon-god, reading, and counting

Yamato

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Great harmony

• Other Meanings: Ancient Japan, serenity, peace, harmony, capital, mountain, target, samurai, true, and progress

Yuki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Happiness and snow

• Other Meanings: Create value, luck, helping someone, hope, precious, and prayer

Popular Japanese Baby Names for Girls

Here are our top picks for Japanese baby girl names:

Ahma

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Black rain

• Other Meanings: Dark rain

Ai

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Love

• Other Meanings: Blue, affection, and mugwort (a species of aromatic flowering plants)

Akari

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Lights and brightness

• Other Meanings: Small, star, crystal, beauty, smart, be gifted, and vivid color

• Description: It’s a variation to Akira, which means “bright and intelligent.”

What Are Some Unique Japanese Names? Akemi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Bright and beautiful

• Other Meanings: Dawn, ocean, and vermilion (a bright red color)

Aki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Bright and glistening like the autumn

• Other Meanings: Accept, doing it clearly, trust, light, philosopher, shining light, cheerfulness, and crystal

Anzu

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Apricot (fruit)

• Other Meanings: Ripe

Aoi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Hollyhock and althea (both are species of flowers)

• Other Meanings: Cherry blossoms, vivid colors, love, dark blue, refreshing, love, great, and sacred

Asahi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Morning sun

• Other Meanings: Fly in the sky, vividness, light, bright sun, progress, bloom, princess, and fortune

Aya

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Colorful

• Other Meanings: Blessed, bright, to master the academic, and progress

• Description: It can be a nickname for Maya, Kaia, or Isla

Bashira

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Joyful

• Other Meanings: Beautiful smile, happiness, and good news

• Description: Can be shorted to Shira

Chiyo

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A thousand generations

• Other Meanings: Leaf, generation, beauty, lotus, sun, smart, and fortune

Emi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Beautiful smile

• Other Meanings: Laugh, beauty, heart, kindness, bloom, and progress

• Description: Some American parents use this variation for Emy or Emmie

Fumiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Intellectual

• Other Meanings: Pearl, help someone, love, rainbow, aromatic, disciplined, beauty, and wealth

• Description: Fumi or Miko

Hana

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Flower or blossom

• Other Meanings: Fountain, love, beauty, harmony, calm, serenity, crystal, snow, cherry blossoms, gem, and summer

• Description: It has a similar pronunciation as the biblical Hannah

Haruka

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Distant or spring blossom

• Other Meanings: Spring fragrance, forever and ever, infinite space and time, a beautiful flower, lovely, sun, spring, and wind

What Is The Prettiest Japanese Name? Hayami

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Rare beauty

• Other Meanings: Early, beautiful lady, water, sprout, and a strong gale

Himari

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Home of light and love

• Other Meanings: Ball of light, hollyhock flower, jasmine, sunflower, love, princess, sun, village, dream, crystal, dance, true, ten thousand, and holly

Hinata

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A sunny place

• Other Meanings: Sun, warm, princess, fruit trees, poetry, bloom, play music, gentle, pleasant, and laugh

• Description: Hinata is a fictional character in the anime and manga, “Naruto.”

Hoshiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Star

• Other Meanings: Child

• Description: Its shortened version is Hoshi.

Ichika

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: One summer

• Other Meanings: One thousand flowers, best, entertainer, excellent, summer, love, beautiful, harmony, peace, play the music, delighted, and maple tree

Kairi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Ocean village

• Other Meanings: Clear as crystal, free, cypress, cherry blossoms, bell, picture, and treasure

• Description: It can be changed into Kairy, which means “sea.”

Kaori

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Nice scent or perfume

• Other Meanings: Aromatic, cherry blossoms, entertainment, woven, beautiful, summer, and flower

Kazuko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Peaceful child

• Other Meanings: Moon, incense, ten thousand, harmony, peace, lake, and long life

Kei

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Gemstone

• Other Meanings: Hope, firefly, lovely, engagement, understand, clever, aromatic, and great

• Description: It was originally a boy’s name but has become a popular girl name; it can be a nickname for Keiko.

Kiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Hope

• Other Meanings: Bright

Kimi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Honorable

• Other Meanings: Craftsmanship, ocean, joy, kindness, princess, beauty, progress, hope, and fountain

• Description: It can be used as a nickname for Kimmy or the western name Kimberly.

Koko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Stork

• Other Meanings: Rainbow, heart, love, deep red, Japanese harp, fortune, live longer, and be delighted.

• Description: Some parents might choose the French version, Coco

Kumiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A forever beautiful child

• Other Meanings: Five, kindness, fruit, progress, beauty, sacred, beautiful black stone, and sky

Mana

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Affection

• Other Meanings: True, calm, ten thousand, fruit trees, superior, sincerity, and camphor tree

Mayumi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Elegant and truth

• Other Meanings: Reason, beauty, bow, real, kindness, ocean, superior, and attractive

Megumi

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Blessings and grace

• Other Meanings: Blessed, love, favor, light, river, benevolence, fortune, affectionate, kindness, progress, and water

Mei

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Bud or sprout

• Other Meanings: Blessed, life, bright, the reason, good, princess, emphasis, love, and vividness

Miki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Flower stem

• Other Meanings: Light, hope, tree, kindness, gorgeous, joy, and rare

Misaki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Beautiful blossom

• Other Meanings: Cherry blossoms, beauty, heart, laugh, light, fortune, good, prayer, bloom, and fountain

Mitsuki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Beautiful moon

• Other Meanings: Hope, light, princess, kindness, brightness, season, three, rare, and joy

Nara

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Flower from heaven

• Other Meanings: Fruit trees, good, and beautiful

Niko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Amber stone

• Other Meanings: Benevolence and tiger

Rin

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A dignified or gallant person

• Other Meanings: Dream, extraordinary, orchid, beautiful ball, apricot, crystal, and bell

Risa

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Growing flowers at home

• Other Meanings: Morning, crystal, bloom, skillful, cherry blossoms, fortune, plum, and vivid color

Sachiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Happy or lucky child

• Other Meanings: Love, fortune, luck, knowledge, smartness, and knowledge

Sakura

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Cherry blossoms

• Other Meanings: Bloom, flourish, and good fortune

• Description: It’s a popular name for a little girl born in spring.

Sara

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Happiness

• Other Meanings: Music, purity, soul, pleasant, orchid, love, vivid, and cherry blossoms

Sato

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Sugar

• Other Meanings: Clever, sacred, village, township, helping someone, capital, bloom, and benevolence

• Description: It can be spelled as Satoh or Satou.

Seiko

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: A force to be reckoned with

• Other Meanings: Lake, star, shining bright, affection, heart, rainbow, and gentle

Sora

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Sky

• Other Meanings: Wind, central, summer, heaven, serene, infinite space and time, forever and ever, beauty, true, and refreshing

Suzuki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Bell tree or bell wood

• Other Meanings: Cool, hope, joy, season, living, and bright

Takara

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Treasure

• Other Meanings: Heaven, sky, brightness, good, honor, truth, precious, and fine

Tokyo

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Eastern capital

• Other Meanings: Capital city

• Description: It’s a unisex name and popularly known as the name of Japan’s capital.

Yua

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Affection

• Other Meanings: Tie, bind, love, help someone, vividness, harmony, peace, apricot, brightness, elegance, grace, beauty, and friend

Yuzuki

• Origin: Japanese

• Meaning: Grapefruit, hope

• Other Meanings: Citrus fruit, bloom, princess, snow, pearl, evening, radiance, rare, Chinese bellflower, precious, and gorgeous